03 Mar 2017

Beach Soccer, a powerful platform to strengthen the game

By Philippe Moggio, CONCACAF General Secretary

Philippe Moggio is CONCACAF General Secretary

CONCACAF just crowned the 2017 Beach Soccer Championship in the Malcolm Park Beach Soccer Facility, a fantastic new permanent complex, first of its kind in the entire Caribbean. I can still feel the enthusiasm of the teams, especially Panama’s as they lifted their first Championship Cup, and the fans excitement.

I had the extraordinary opportunity to witness for the first time what beach soccer is, the passion, its fast-paced, dynamic style, the outstanding performance of the players and all the entertainment that surrounds this wonderful sport.

I am impressed by the tremendous work by the Bahamas Football Association (BFA) to successfully organize international competitions. BFA President Anton Sealey and his team showed a great commitment to the game, and I would like to thank them for that.

At CONCACAF, we are extremely proud for the opportunity to bring the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup to our region. As Bahamas prepares to make history as the first Caribbean country to host the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, we are confident that it will offer an amazing atmosphere that will generate memorable and powerful experiences for our fans, players, coaches, our partners. It will provide the springboard for beach soccer development throughout the Caribbean and across the CONCACAF region.

Beach soccer has experienced impressive growth since its first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup held 12 years ago. Its future is bright, as demonstrated by federations like the BFA, which have added the discipline into the National Teams Program.

The recent CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship, and the upcoming FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 will increase competitiveness at both the regional and global level. It will provide an excellent opportunity to further develop our game, while stimulating tourism and economic benefits for our host nation, The Bahamas.

At CONCACAF, we are fully committed at leveraging beach soccer as a powerful platform to strengthen our game within our region. We are confident that beach soccer will continue to grow in the years to come and attract new fans into the game of football.